The Janapadas of Ancient History of Himachal Pradesh | हिमाचल प्रदेश का इतिहास | Download PDF
Indus valley Civilization when moved towards Gangetic plains they pushed the inhabited Proto-Australoid or Munda-speaking Kolarian people towards forest valleys and northward to Himachal valleys and these people became the earliest inhabitants to Himachal Pradesh.
Therefore,
First race to enter Himachal
Kols/Kolis/Munda/Kolarian
- Pre-Vedic Period - Kols/Kolis/Munda/Kolarian etc.
- Vedic Period - Dasyus/Dasas/Nishads
- Post Vedic Period - Kinnars/Nagas/Yakshas.
- Contemporary period - Koli/Hali/Doms/Chanal of western Himalayas, Chumangs and Damangs of Kinnaur and Lahul-Spiti are remanants of this race.
Second Race to Enter Himachal Pradesh
- Mongoloids in form of Kiratas and Bhotas (Bhots)
Third Race to Enter Himachal Pradesh
Aryans
- Around 1500 BC Aryans came to India by passing Pamir region by Kashgar (Kashi) now in China to Kashmir and then into Himachal.
- They made their settlements in Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Gharwal, Kumaon, and Nepal. Aryans organized themselves into small political units or villages leter into tribal republics (Janpadas) called themselves as Khasas/Mavanas/Mavi (means the strongest men).
Dasrajan War (Ten Kings War) ( दाशराज्ञ युद्ध )
Battle held between Aryans and Non Aryans.
Non Aryan - Shambara (had 99 forts) (Kirat Janpad)
Aryan - Devodas (Bharat Janpad) (Sage Bharadwaj and later Sage Vaishista were the advisors)
Surdas son od Devodas won the battle.
Battle went for the 40 years.
Four Famous Janapadas
- According to Mahabharata, Aryans/Khasas organized themselves into four famous Janapadas.
- Panini also mentioned about these Janapadas.
- Audumbaras/Odambaras:
- Descendents of sage Vishwamitra who founded Kaushik Gorta. Satapatha Brahamana also mentioned about Audumbaras. Buddhist scholar Chandragomin in his writings named 'Vriti' also mentioned them as Shilvas (5th Century AD).
- In 2nd century B.C. they formed separate state named 'Mitra'.
- Famous Kings: Dharaghosha, Rudradass, Shivadass, Mahadev.
Art and Culture:
Coins:
- Coins were made of Copper and Silver
- Coins have been founded from Kangra,Jawalamukhi, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Hoshiyarpur.
- Brahmi and Kharosti scripts were used on coins.
- Study of Coins depicts that they had trade with Taxila and Gangetic valley.
- The bull, the temple with a trident-axe and the figure of Vishwamitra are common motifs
Literature Sources:
- Audumbaras found mention in Markandaya Purana, Vishnu Purana.
- Ganapatha of Panini who classifies them as being of the Rajanya class
- After 4th Century A.D. Audumbaras got extinct due to continuous encroachments of Gabdika from North, Madrakas from West, Sukshetra from South East and Jalandhara from South.
2. Trigartas
- Trigarta denotes the region drained by three rivers Ravi (Purushini), Beas (Akshini), Satluj (Satudri).
- Trigarta was founded by Susharma Chandra who was ally of Kauravas in Mahabharata and attacked Viratas king of Matasya.
- Originally from Multan. (in 13 Century BC)
- Trigarta was oldest of all the four janapadas.
- Nagarkot (Kangra fort) was the citadel of Katoch lords who ruled Trigarta for thousands of years, right from Mahabharata period till pre-independent era and Trigarta Rulers had their five divisions Katoch clan, Guleria clan, Jaswal clan Sibaia clan and Dadwal clan
- Famous Kings: Susharma Chandra, Bhumi Chandra (made kangra Fort)
Art and Culture:
Coins:
- Coins were Square Coins
- Coins made up of Copper
- Brahmi and Kharosti scripts were used in coins.
Literature Source:
- Mentioned in Mahabharata, Brihat-samhita, Markandaya Purana.
- Panini mentioned Trigarta in Ashtadhyayi. and called it Trigarta-Shashthas (Confederation of six States) in 5th century BC.
- Kashika mentions the six members of this confederacy as follows: 1. Kauṇḍoparastha (कौण्डोपरस्थ) , 2. Dāṇḍakī (दाण्डकी), 3. Krauṣṭakī (क्रौष्टकी), 4. Jālamāni (जालमानि), 5. Brāhmagupta (ब्रह्मगुप्त), and 6. Jānaki (जानकी).
- Panini also called people of Trigarta as Ayudhijivi Sangha.
- Kulutas
- Located in the upper Beas valley.
- It was the territory of two groups of people: Kulutas and Audumbaras.
- Bihabgmani Pal of Pal dynasty is believed to be the founder of Kuluta.
- Old Capital: Mukarsa (Naggar) (Established by Visudh Pal)
- Later Capital: Jagatsukh (Sultanpur) (Established by Jagat Singh)
- Famous Kings: Veer-yash, Vijay Mitra, Chitra Verma.
Art and Culture:
Coins:
- Coins bears the name 'Vir-yasha Raja'
- one side of coin script - Sanskrit, other side of coin script - Prakarit and Kharosti
Litetraure Source:
- Mentioned Ramayana, Markandaya Purana, Brihat-Samhita, Vishnu Purana.
- Vishakha Dutt in Mudrakrakshasha mentioned Kuluta as in allaince with Himalayan state.
- Kunindas/Kulindas
- Lived in the area lying between Beas, Satluj and Yamuna river i.e. Kullu, Sirmaur, Shimla Hills, Ambala and Saharanpur in plains.
- Modern periods identified as Kanets/Kunets.
- Famous Kings: Amoghbhuti
- Believed to be neigbhours of Trigarta.
Art and Culture:
Coins:
- Coins bears the name Amoghbhuti (Title)
- Coins were made up of Silver (Prakrit on front , Kharosti on back) and Copper (Brahmi Script).
Literature Source:
- Mentioned in Mahabharata, Vishnu Purana, Markandaya Purana.
- All members of the assembly were called as Rajas and Chief was called as Maha Raja.
- Mahabharata mentioned Kunindas were conquered by Arjuna.
- After 4th Century A.D. Kunindas got split into small kingdoms (1. Brahampura 2. Govisana 3. Kirtipura or Kartipura)